Case studies

These case studies are actual examples of work carried out by Tekkie Help. However, we have changed the names of the customers to protect their privacy!

1. Ron runs out of room.

Our customer, Ron, had an old 2005 Mac and a 2008 MacBook (Laptop). Over time the hard drives on both machines had become full, mainly with music and photos. The printer had ceased to work and his family had survived for a few months by emailing documents to friends to print for them. There were two external backup drives which contained several backups but Ron was unsure what data was backed up and what wasn’t. The family also owned a number of iPhones and iPads which held several thousand photos for which there was no backup. Things were bad…… time for Tekkie Help!

Tekkie Help assisted Ron to select a new Mac and transfer the data from both old computers to the new one. Multiple music and photo libraries were combined and a new folder structure created to hold/organize the family’s documents and make their files easy to find. New drivers were installed to get the printer/scanner working and various other software programs were installed to provide additional capabilities, such as Microsoft word processing and spreadsheets.

Ron’s music files were tidied up in iTunes so that all albums had track names and album covers, and all tracks appeared in the right sequence. All of the iPhones and iPads were synchronised and backed up and the photos transferred to the main photo library on the new Mac.

During the initial investigations it was discovered that the original computers, iPhones and iPads were not connecting to Ron’s own Wi-Fi network to access the internet, but were using the neighbours Wi-Fi connection instead! Not only did this make surfing the internet slow but it posed a potential security threat whereby others could have accessed the family’s data. Tekkie Help configured all devices to access the internet via Ron’s own wireless network and ensured that proper security was in place to protect his network.

Finally, automatic backups were set up to provide onsite and offsite backups. The offsite backup holds all of Ron’s photos so that even if all of his computer equipment was destroyed at his house he would still not lose his photos. The hard disk drive on the old Mac was securely wiped ready for disposal and the MacBook Laptop upgraded to the latest operating system it could run. Further improvements to the Laptop means that it can now play a useful part in the way the family uses technology, particularly when they undertake one of their many trips abroad.

The end result is that Ron now has a secure, easy to use technology solution that enables him to do all the things he wants and safeguards his data.

2. Greg goes Gmail

Greg’s problem was that because he stored all of his emails and documents on his home computer, he could not continue to work effectively when away from his office. He was increasing having to travel so this was becoming a major problem.

Tekkie Help helped Greg create a Gmail account and copy all of his previous emails into this new account. As Gmail can be accessed from anywhere you can get access to the internet, Greg no longer has to be sitting in front of his computer at home to process emails. Tekkie Help configured Greg’s devices so that he can receive and send email from his mobile phone and tablet (iPad). Now Greg can see all of his old and new emails via his Gmail account and he can even still use his old email address.

As an added bonus, all of Greg’s 472 mobile phone contacts and calendar entries are now accessible online and backed up using his new Gmail account, so if he loses his phone he can simply buy another and be up and running again in minutes.

To enable Greg to be truly mobile, Tekkie Help also helped him create a copy of all of his documents online. He can now work from his computer at home as normal but has the added benefit of being able to access any of his documents, via a secure internet connection, when away from home.

3. Mel’s movies and music

Mel and her husband recently arrived in Singapore and wanted to be able to watch movies and listen to music in all rooms of the house. They wanted an extensive library of media to choose from but didn’t want to have to become IT experts in order to achieve it. Mel’s husband was keen to take on the task but simply didn’t have the time.

Tekkie Help to the rescue. Central to the chosen solution was the installation of a new large hard drive on the network (which also acted as a media hub) which could hold all Mel’s music, movies and TV shows and also provide built-in backup functionality to reduce the risk of data loss. A wireless network was set up to distribute data around the house and enable wireless speakers to work in each of the main living areas. Tekkiehelp installed a new flat screen TV and surround sound system in the main living room which is all connected up to work seamlessly with the hard drive containing all the media. An iPad was set up to remotely control all of the equipment thus alleviating the need for a separate remote for each item. Mel can now download movies and music from a number of sources on the internet and watch/listen to it in any of the rooms she wants – she can even watch her favourite UK TV programmes. To complete the solution, Tekkie Help loaded all of Mel’s physical CD’s and DVD’s onto the system so that they could be easily played at the press of a couple of buttons throughout the house.